Notes: Written in response to a challenge by Grace: Spike/Cordelia fic in which Cordy is a vampire, and using the quote "Why Me?"

Spike was sulking. He sat hunched over at the table in the Bronze, watching the Scooby gang enjoy themselves on the dance floor. There was the Slayer, the Witch and the Werewolf, and Xander was with that annoying ex-demon girl.

At least the tension of the last week and a half had vanished. He didn't know what had been up - no-one had told him, and he was damned if he was going to ask them, like he actually cared! He figured they probably hadn't kept him in the dark on purpose - most likely they all thought one of the others would have clued him in on whatever it was. Then the little witch had disappeared with the Watcher for a couple of days, and when they got back everyone was happy again.

"It worked!" the witch had told him cheerfully

"That's great, pet." he'd replied, hoping she was going to give him some idea what she was going on about. Fat chance!

"So we're all out to the Bronze tonight to celebrate. You have to come too." she saw his doubtful look "Oh come on, Spike. You never come out with us. You're almost one of the gang now." He'd scowled at her, but she kept on about it til he relented. So now here he was, bored out of his brain, and really wanting to go and rip someone's guts out to cheer himself up. But nooo, now he was the Slayers new little helper he wasn't supposed to do things like that. < Oh, sod it > he thought. Since when had he ever done what he was supposed to? He stood up and began searching the room for a likely victim.

For some reason, he glanced over to the door as two people entered. He snarled to himself as he recognised his sire. The last person he wanted or needed to see tonight was that poofter. And by his side was..... < Drusilla?!..... > No, it wasn't her. But she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. They began walking towards him, and he suddenly realised who it was. < What the hell?! > The bitchy Prom Queen girl who had gone off to LA. But there was something different about her....

The pair of them arrived at the table at the same time as the rest of the crowd, and just as he realised exactly *what* was different.

"Hey Spike!" Buffy waved a hand in front of his face "You're gaping. It's only Cordy and Angel."

"But... she's a...." he stared at her again "You're a....."

"Vampire? Well spotted, bleach boy." she snapped back. The others were staring at him like he'd grown a second head.

"But Spike, you know we had to.... why don't you know? You must know. But you didn't." Willow frowned at him "We told you... well, I didn't I don't think, but Buffy did...."

"Ah, actually Will, I thought you had. Or Giles, or someone.... I was so worried, I didn't really think."

"Talk about oblivious." Xander muttered "Deadboy here obviously didn't notice that we've all been out of our heads with worry."

Spike growled at Xander, and the boy stepped back. "So what happened?"

"A demon happened." Buffy stated

"A big disgusting, ugly, *ishy* demon!" Cordelia clarified. She went to continue, but Angel interrupted.

"It was after me. Cordy very bravely got in it's way. She delayed it just long enough, but it hurt her very badly. She lost a lot of blood, but we thought she'd be OK. But then it turned out some kind of poison had got into her system from the scratches the demon inflicted. She was going to die."

Willow took up the story "So we tried to find a cure, but there wasn't anything. Then we realised that if she became a vampire she'd live. Well, not *live*, but....."

"So here I am, dead and kicking." Cordelia finished brightly. "It wasn't a hard decision when I knew I was going to be dead anyway. And Willow did the soul-spell thing."

"But it's a better one!" Willow added eagerly "No happiness clause. We're working on a way to change Angel's curse, too." At that, Angel and Buffy gave each other a mushy look. Spike glanced at them in disgust and turned back to Cordelia.

"Looks like we're the only two single ones here then, love. So, d'you fancy a dance?"

Xander muttered something rude under his breath, and Cordelia smacked him on the arm then smiled brilliantly at Spike.

"He's just jealous 'cos we're going to be young and gorgeous forever. I'd love to dance." < Hmmm, she thinks I'm gorgeous > thought Spike as he led her to the dance floor. < That's promising >. A slow song was playing, and they began to move to the sensuous beat. They drew closer and closer together until they were pressed up against one another. Cordelia wound her arms around Spike's neck, and he brought his mouth down on hers. Luckily, neither of them had to breathe, so they didn't surface for a long time. When they broke the kiss, Spike pulled Cordy close to him and they began to dance again.

"C'mon love, lets get out of here." he murmured in her ear.

She pulled away slightly and looked at him "But... but we've only just met - properly I mean."

Spike suppressed a sigh. "We're vampires, love, it doesn't matter. We can do what we want." He was rewarded by her snuggling against him again.

"Ohhhhh.... in that case I think I want to dance for a bit longer." And she began to sway against him, nibbling at his neck. He groaned in frustration, but went with it. At the end of the song, he pulled away and grabbed her hand firmly.

"That's it. We're out of here." he began to lead her off of the dance floor in the direction of the door. At first she followed him, then slowed and stopped. He turned to face her. "What is it?"

"Angel. I ought to..." she gestured in the direction of the Scooby gang's table

"No, you don't 'ought to' anything. What's it got to do with the great poof what you do?"

"I came with him... I can't just disappear or he'll worry. And he *is* my sire."

"So? He's my sire too, and I certainly don't clear my moves with him!"

Her face paled even more, and she stared at him in horror. "He's your sire too?"

"Yeah, what of it?"

"Oh God.... that would make us, like, brother and sister! We can't!.... Ewwww!" she dragged her hand away from his and began to back away.

"Wait, love, it's not..... me and Dru... *we* were..." Spike couldn't believe what she was saying. All he wanted to do was grab her and leave - fast.

"Oh, no.... I don't even want to hear it. Oh, this is soooo gross!" and she turned and fled back to the others. Spike wanted to scream in frustration. His evening had definitely gone from bad to worse. He contented himself with banging his head against a convenient pillar. The first woman he'd been really attracted to since Dru!.......

"Why me?!" he moaned.